of working with others collaboratively. and that is so important right now. when it comes to military issues, and veterans issues, i think about senator klobuchar's relationship with senator john mccain. he served as a bit of a mentor for her in the senate. host: mayor hosmer, the u.s. house is coming in. peaker's rooms e. washington, d.c. february 11, 2020. i hereby appoint the honorable henry cuellar to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. signed, nancy pelosi, speaker of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the order of the house of january 7, 2020, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. the chair will alternate recognition between the parties. with time equally allocated between the parties and each member other than the majority and minority leaders and

minority whip limited to five minutes, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. mcclintock, for five minutes. mr. speaker, lost amidst of tunnel of the last several weeks was the quiet passing of an outspoken leader of california. h.l. "bill" richardson. h.l., as he was known to his friends, arrived in the california state senate with the freshman class of 1966, part of the reagan landslide that year. for every one of the 22 years he served in the senate, h.l. was a force to be reckoned with. he served for many years in the republican leadership but he was never, ever a political insider. his enormous influence inside the senate stemmed from the fact that he never joined that

club, he never lost sight of the people who elected him, and he not only worked tirelessly to serve them inside the capitol he worked even harder to organize, inform, and mobilize them outside the capitol. he founded a multitude of advocacy groups to empower the millions of californians who believed in individual liberty and economic freedom. he started the free market political action committee to support free market principles and the candidates who embraced them. and it became the inspiration and prototype of groups like the club for growth and americans for prosperity and freedom works today. in the 1970's when jerry brown first came to power and appointed radical leftists to the california courts, h.l. founded the law and order campaign committee which became the driving force behind the historic recall of chief justice rose bird and two of her associates on the california supreme court.

that organization went on for many years to restore common sense to the california courts and criminal justice system, including pressing the legislature to restore the death penalty over jerry brown's veto. his passion for the second amendment was his most defining cause. he founded gun owners of california to fight the growing movement in california to disarm law-abiding citizens. and his success not only beatback proposition 15, a 1982 initiative to ban handguns in california, it generated so many new second amendment voters in that election that put them over a top by a tiny margin of victory over the los angeles mayor in the governor's race that year. gun owners of california continues its good work to this day as does the spinoff, gun owners of america. h.l. had a wicked sense of humor and it was keenest when bursting bubbles of political

pomposity. one of his half dozen books still required reading in some college class, is entitle titheled, so what makes you think we read the bills? his book confrontational politics offers a civilized but no less resolute conservative response to the rules for radicals. california once called the golden state is today drawing more and more attention as the slow moving train wreck. the radical left is now dominated the state's institutions for more than 20 years, and california is showing all of the political, social, and economic pathologies that accompany leftist governance. failing schools, rising crime, chronic traffic congestion, skyrocketing costs of housing, energy, and water, rampant homelessness, oppressive regulations, the highest effective poverty rate in the nation, and a population now fleeing to other states. senator h.l. richardson held

back that tide for nearly 30 years. he was a mighty seawall that protected california from the left, giving one final generation of californians the joy of living in the most prosperous and beautiful state in the nation. but as age took its toll, influence waned, the left steadily advanced and none of us who he inspired to follow him has been able to stop it. on january 13, h.l. richardson passed away at the age of 92 and with him passed the golden california of freedom, opportunity, and prosperity that he fought so hard, so long, and so effectively to preserve. perhaps the day will come when california will see a rebirth of freedom, and on that day, h.l.'s wisdom and courage and leadership will show that generation the way back. we can hasten that day by remembering and celebrating his

life, his lessons, and his achievements. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. bustos, for five minutes. mrs. bustos: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today as we celebrate black history month across our nation. i want to recognize the extraordinary efforts of three african-american women from rockford, illinois, who have honorably served three separate branches of our armed forces. our nation is indebted to them. later this week the stories of argaret, patricia welter, lana mchance, and elaina herman will be displayed to the public at the veterans memorial hall and museum in rockford, illinois. their contributions to our country have been chronicled by local students from harlem high school. this is part of the annual harlem veterans project, and they have conducted interviews, shot videos, and have photographs and more.

and i'd like to take a moment to bring attention to their sacrifices and thank them for their service today. margaret patricia welcher, she served in the united states air force from 1988 to 1991 and achieved the rank of senior airman. lana mchance, she served in the united states navy from 1991 to 1997 and achieved the rank of operation specialist third class. and ma lanea herman served in the united states army from 1989 to 1994 and achieved the rank of staff sergeant. in addition to their distinguished military service, these veterans have worked to better our community. lana an active member of the american legion post 340, while margaret and ma lanea routinely participate in local stand downs where they offer a variety of support services for

at-risk veterans. i'm proud to see them represent our community with such distinction and such honor. their selfless commitment to country and community sets a strong example for the leaders of tomorrow. it is crucial that their inspirational stories are spread far and wide. that is why i applaud the work of those students participating in the harlem veteran project. these students have sought to build a unique bond with members of the community and raise the voices of those around them. institutions like the veterans memorial hall and museum in rockford, which will feature these incredible women, tell the stories of so many who have made an immense impact on the lives of those across our region. it's only fitting that the stories of margaret, lana, and ma lanea will be displayed with the rest of them. we must never forget those who paved the path before us. stories like theirs make up the very fabric of our nation. they should be cherished and

celebrated. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. thompson, for five minutes. thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, last week marked the national school counselors week. school counselors play a valuable role in the lives of our nation's students. they help students navigate challenges both academic and personal through all phases of education. but some counselors truly go above and beyond. recently i had the pleasure of joining the american school counselor association for a meeting where i met with laura ross, the 2020 school counselor of the year. her co-workers have called her a true hero and champion for the work that she's done at five rocks middle school. school counselors like laura have big responsibilities and even greater opportunities to make a difference in the lives of young people.

when people choose to dedicate their careers to providing support and guidance for these students, they are better equipped to tackle personal and professional challenges. and better prepared to enter the work force. a successful career begins with a well-rounded view of what the work force entails. effective counseling can assist learners and better understanding through educational opportunities and career prospects. while preventing students from taking on sizable debt. h.r. 5092, the counseling for career choice act, seeks to ensure high school students are made aware of the educational options and career prospects prior to graduation. to do that the bill would establish a grant program for $40 million to invest in career couming programs for high school students. it also invests in professional development opportunities for counselors, working with these students so counselors can do their jobs to the best of their ability and to stay up-to-date on work force trends and post secondary opportunities.

this includes two- and four-year degree programs but that also includes certificate programs, internships, and apprenticeships. we all owe a debt of gratitude to our nation's school counselors. all year long their service and support of our nation's young people is greatly appreciated. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from california, miss spehr, for five minutes. miss spehr -- ms. speier, for five minutes. ms. speier: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to remember the baku programs which took place in january, 1990, some 30 years ago. the programs represented the ulmination of years of atrocities against ethnic armenians living in azerbaijanny communities. time and time again armenians fell victim to their neighbors

as gangs of aziries roamed the streets, smashed windows, burned cars, and attacked any armenians they found. the gangs murdered and mutilated some women and repeatedly raped others. in baku, the pattern held as looters destroyed property and tortured the murdered victims. thousands of armenians fled the systemic violence. world chess champion, gary kasporoff family counted among them. azerbaijan was engaged in a systemic effort to erase this history and silence those who repeat it. i rise today so that they cannot succeed. the history of this violence is one of the many reasons i believe that residents of art sock should be allowed to live in peace, freedom, and security.

the united states has a crucial role to play in promoting this outcome. for decades usaid has helped clear mines saving lives, ploting development, and giving communities a sense of normalcy. today even though the work is not done, that aid is threatened. today even though armenia and art sock have embraced the royce angle peace proposal while azerbaijan has rejected it. art sock could lose the mining assistance. today even though armenia has transformed itself into a growing democracy, it is auto contractic azerbaijan that has received massive disproportionate increase in military aid from the united states. if the administration won't help those who stand for peace and democracy, congress must. the legacy of baku and others

remind me why. we must fight for the memories of those we lost for their dreams of safety and security and for the promise of a free art sock. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from north carolina, mr. budd, for five minutes. mr. budd: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to oppose a truly radical piece of legislation that was recently introduced in this chamber. the new way forward act, as it's called. introduced with the support of more than three dozen democratic co-sponsors, decriminalizes illegal immigration, mation it nearly impossible for border authorities to detain and deport immigrants with criminal convictions and forces taxpayers to foot the bill to bring back previously deported criminal illegal immigrants. mr. speaker, if this bill were to become law, it would enable

illegal immigrants who have committed crimes abroad bring them back to the u.s. and they would allow them to gain a pathway to citizenship. the bill eliminates the provision in current law and forbids an immigrant from entering the united states if they have committed drug crimes or any crimes involving moral turpitude. examples of crimes involving moral turpitude include child molestation, kidnapping, rape, murder, and more. it's unthinkable that we would allow anyone who has committed those crimes to freely enter our country. . it calls on the department of homeland security to pay for the deported previously illegal immigrants. under the bill, any immigrant since april of 1996 would be allowed to return to he u.s. as long as they met a stunningly lax set of criteria. it's ridiculous to require taxpayers to foot the bill to bring previously

onto ed individuals back u.s. soil. the bill would make it more i.c.e. to detain an immigrant with a criminal record. gents would be forced to prove that a suspect poses a danger or a flight risk without using the past criminal history as a sole pastor. -- factor. democratic co-sponsors of this bill said it would end deportation of those contact with the legal system. i would say it's common sense criminal offense should lead to deportation. orse, it prevents i.c.e. from deporting immigrants who would have an average sentence of less years.ve it would allow those who identity theft, fraud to remain in the country. like many americans, i want eople to enter our country through the legal process. we want them here. and then to stay on the right of the law. legal immigration is what makes

our country great. but we cannot pass bills like this one that incentivizes more illegally ore here poses no penalty on those who crimes.erious i think most americans would welcome those to come to our land in a legal, merit-based way and dangerous, immigrants should not be allowed to come into this country or stay in our country. unfortunately, this bill makes a mockery of that principle and replaces it with a set of policies pen border that are dangerous to our citizens and our communities. t is for that reason that it should be soundly defeated. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from texas, ms. jackson lee, for five minutes. mr. speaker, e: first, i'd like to honor and

deepest sympathy as a of ow texan to the family sergeant javier gutierrez who battle in fe in afghanistan. i also want to acknowledge antonio rodriguez of new mexico as he lost his life battle as well. a war that is endless but service of our giants, our young men and women constantly re to be honored. sergeant gutierrez, a family man, a husband, a father, the service of his nation enthusiastically joining, came from a long legacy of to the nation. his grandfather, another hero in our nation. his father, another hero in our nation. family who's s given now the ultimate sacrifice

nd never refused to put on the uniform to fight in battle for this nation's freedom, its equality.nd its may god bless his family and may he rest in peace. s i move to another topic, i'd like to say that this is a and ge to my constituents the american people. and u've heard in the news probably frightened by the a erpts, i hold in my hand budget for america's future. this was offered by the of the united states. attack on the its basic security, domestic american people. i'd venture to say that even our soldiers have found the eed for their families to sometimes have assistance with

the supplemental nutrition program, food stamps, and tragically, this budget digs deep to hatchet away the basic safety net that we've come to understand. a handout for working families who may be impoverished, but a handup. the cuts, ed by draconian cuts in this document. startled by $1.6 trillion in medicaid.medicare and midst artled by, in the of the coronavirus, an almost or billion cut in .i.h. and the centers for disease control. he very entities that provide lifesaving research and possible cures for the american people around the world. the world health organization is

thisng to go into china at time, and they are looking to ave american researchers who are ready and able to go to stop, how to to how mine the origins, and pandemic orrific around the world. of can you cut billions dollars? and then the precious children in my congressional district the privilege of representi representing school districts, number of e, a good school districts, and every day the administrators and teachers, parents dropping their beautiful children off are looking for an too, tunity so that they, might serve and contribute to this great nation. but yet a number that's so startling, it takes your breath away. $6.2 billion in cuts for

education. harvey with 51 trillion gallons of water, still suffering from the losses of their homes, still andng to fix flooding areas mitigate the damage through infrastructure work and, yet, $1.7 billion has been cut from who've eds of people experienced heinous and horrific need to isasters and re -- need the repair that's necessary. f course, every child knows that climate change is real and innovative, tion, important leader of the world, dollars for g the climate research. aware, i l, we're not guess, in this administration rise, ism is on the domestic terrorism, in particular, but it is also that be vigilant for the brought down the

twin towers on 9/11. but yet, those dollars are being fema, $746.9 million. and then let me say that we are as i close, saying to those who are unhoused, the better , those who seek housing, that they, too, can't get housing. housing er, affordable for the homeless and others -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. is now going.e: and i ask to defeat this budget as we will. i yield back. the peaker pro tempore: chair recognizes the gentleman from nebraska, mr. bacon, for five minutes. bacon: thank you, mr. speaker. in honor of black history month, recognize littleton alston for his lifetime fine art ofs in the culpting, both as a renowned professor. he grew up in northeast

washington, d.c., where he had with great counter art and public sculpture. remembers looking for down east capital street and seeing the capitol dome. and other acknowledged recognized a unique gift that littleton seemed to possess and drawing. er devotion and his talent helped land him an opportunity to attend duke ellington school of the arts in washington, d.c., from high aduated school. awarded a scholarship to virginia commonwealth university seechd his he bachelor of -- received his bachelor of fine arts degree in earn his and wanted to masters of fine art from the maryland institute college of rts rhinehart graduate school of sculpture in baltimore. there, he was the recipient of school's top honor, the rhinehart award. in 1989 he was accepted to the residency program at the beamon center of contemporary --

contemporary arts in omaha and university ighton where he attended the ranks of professor of sculpture. given back to ly the community. littleton served on the omaha public art commission for nine he's volunteered often for local charities and community service groups. especially crowd of his ducational outreach, having often led classes and workshops nashdz.ls in low-income in -- neighborhoods. in 2013, he was recognized for his civic contributions with the community excellence award and y governor -- by the governor with a community excellence award. littleton says he chose the art because he believes sculpture is the best vehicle hrough which he can best express the joyce and sorrows of the human -- joys and sorrows of condition. as an artist, he tries to convey

he beauty and the power of the sculpted form. littleton alston has been commissioned to create a variety of projects, including monumental bronze figures such angel michael, christ amongst children, dr. martin luther king, the baseball legend gibson, st. iing nashs of loyola and nd -- many others. in 2019, littleton was selected applicants from across the country to create a larger than bronze -- life-size statue recognizing the great state of nebraska in the u.s. capitol. this is a homecoming for littleton who will become the artist tocan-american create a work to be displayed in the statuary hall collection. compelling achievement 50 years in the making for a young man who grew up in eye shot of of freedom. this wonderful addition to these

hallowed halls will be dedicated late mother. a fitting tribute to the person his great cultivate talent at an early age. we are proud that littleton, his children, and his sarah, taylor, and daniel, call omaha, nebraska, home. thank littleton for his impression upon the community, which will be felt for years to come. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess